InfoNet Issues and Policy Briefs - A Publication of the Governor's DD Council, Issues, Policy Breifs, Iowa, ID Action, Voting, Disabilities

CURRENT ISSUES

Federal Budget News

Click here to view information on how President Obama's budget impacts disability services.
Click here for more on the President's budget.
Click here for US Senator Harkin's analysis of the US House's budget and its impact on disability services.

Mental Health & Disability Services (MH/DS) System

Health & Human Services (HHS) Budget

Click here to see the FY 2012 budget proposed by the Department of Human Services. There are no new programs but state costs will be much higher because federal stimulus dollars are being phased out. This budget now goes to the Governor, who will make changes and send it to the Legislature for approval in the 2011 legislative session. You can contact the Governor about these recommendations here.
Click here to view the Governor's budget documents for the next two years (Fiscal Years 2012 and 2013).
Click here to view the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency's analysis of the Governor's budget.

Health Care Reform

Find out more about the state's health care reform efforts by clicking on the following links (background material is under "Additional Information." The effort is led by the Legislative Health Care Coverage Commission and its work groups: Iowa Care Expansion, Medicaid Expansion Readiness, and High Risk Pool Work Group , Value-based Health Care Work Group, Insurance Information Exchange Work Group, and Wellness Work Group.
Click here for an easy to use website with information about how the new law will affect you. This site also has a special section to explain the benefits of health care reform to persons with disabilities - you can go directly to that section by clicking here.
Click here to find out about the new provisions of the health reform act that went into effect September 23, 2010. You can watch a video describing these new insurance protections by clicking here.
Click here for more information on the national Health Care Reform Act of 2010, what it does, myths & facts, and breaking news.
Click here for the AARP Health Care Reform Guide.
Click here for the Kaiser Family Foundation's comprehensive schedule showing when different changes go into effect. You can find even more resources in their Health Reform Source.
Click here for the Commonwealth Fund's easy to use guide to health reform and implementation timeline.
Click here for the Disaboom Network's story on how health care reform impacts people with disabilities.

2010-2008 Archived Issues

Access to Psychiatric Drugs

Click here for Talking Points from NAMI Iowa and Iowa Psychiatric Society.
Click here to review the law that excludes psychiatric drugs from any Preferred Drug List.

Mental Health & Disability Services (MH/DS) System

Click here for the final MH/MR/DD interim committee report (1/8/2010).
Click here for the document legislators are using to help guide their budget decisions for the next budget (Fiscal Year 2011). Legislators are using this to establish "priority" programs and services, those that would not be cut, or would be cut as little as possible.
Click here for Subcommittee meeting agendas & all materials handed out.
Click here to review the budget targets for the next fiscal year (FY 2011). Fiscal year 2011 begins July 1, 2010 and goes until June 31, 2011.

Click here for information on the 2009 interim committee looking at the adult MH/MR/DD system.
Click here to view the final FY 2008 budget year ending fund balances for each of Iowa's 99 counties, and the total amount spent on services in these counties.

Click here for FY 2009 funding of the state/county MH/MR/DD services system.
Click here for a year-by-year history of the county/state MH/MR/DD services system partnership.
Click here for lots of information about the MH/MR/DD system (from 2006 interim), including use data

Health & Human Services (HHS) Budget

Click here for the document legislators are using to help guide their budget decisions for the next budget (Fiscal Year 2011). Legislators are using this to establish "priority" programs and services, those that would not be cut, or would be cut as little as possible.
Click here for Subcommittee meeting agendas & all materials handed out.
Click here to review the budget targets for the next fiscal year (FY 2011). Fiscal year 2011 begins July 1, 2010 and goes until June 31, 2011.

Government Reorganization

Click here for the recommendations of the Legislature's State Government Reorganization Commission.
Click here for the Governor's efficiency consultant's recommendations on government reorganization.
Click here for a detailed analysis of the bill as passed by the Senate & House.
Click on the following links for documents about closure of the MHIs, reorganization of DHS, and lists of health and human services related boards and commissions to be eliminated or merged.

Governor's Task Force on Dependent Adults with Mental Retardation (Atalissa Task Force)

Click here for the report issued by the Governor's Task Force on Dependent Adults with Mental Retardation.

Health Insurance Mandates

Click here for statistics on mental health parity.
Click here for information on the insurance mandates for children's hearing aids.

Mental Health Parity